Ohio State names California educator as president

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State University trustees have named a California educator as the school's next president.

The trustees ended a six-month search by approving the selection of Michael Drake as the 15th president of Ohio State. Drake had been chancellor of the University of California at Irvine.

Trustees voted in favor of Drake at a meeting Thursday.

Drake succeeds former president Gordon Gee (gee), who retired in July after remarks he made jabbing Roman Catholics and Southeastern Conference schools were made public. Gee is now interim president at West Virginia University.

Drake is an ophthalmology professor who also is a published textbook author. He was named the fifth chancellor of the University of California, Irvine in 2005, where he also served as a professor.